Here is one of my pole dyed pieces from yesterday that resembles a rorshach test. Tell me what is this?

Here is a close up:

Robbi Eklow has a new book out called Free Expression in which she explains and illustrates her pole dyeing method. Today, Diane invited us to her house to try this method.

Here are Diane, Janet and Pat preparing to dye.

Here is some fabric that has had dye poured over it.

Here are some of the dye drippings. I had a bunch of silk scraps given to me by the director of Surface Design – they were left overs from her work. I put these scraps in the drippings and got some of my most interesting pieces!

Now, here is where we went off on a tangent and didn’t follow directions. We just laid the fabrics out on the grass to dry and didn’t let them batch. This is what happens when a group of amateurs ignore the directions!!

And look at this – splatter dyed feet!!

Tomorrow, I will wash my fabric and see how bad it was not to do the batching. I think the colors will not be as intense. It was a fun time and so relaxing. Oh, and here is the best part, we got to meet Gemma who patiently observed the day’s activities.

Down in the mead-ow in a lit-tle bit-ty pool,
Swam five lit-tle fish-ies and a ma-ma fish-ie too,
“Swim” said the ma-ma fish-ie, “Swim if you can,”
And they swam and they swam all o-ver the dam.

Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chue!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chue!
Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chue!
And dey fam and dey fam all o-ver de dam.

I have been singing this song today because I decided it was time to have some fiber fun. So I made these tropical fish. Right now they are sort of glued together and waterless on my design wall.

Why am I making fish and what does it have to do with bathrooms, you ask? Well, remember a while ago I mentioned that we were having a new tile floor put in our master bathroom and it also got a paint job. Here is the beautiful new tile:

Here is the art work we currently have hanging in the bathroom:

You can see that I have plenty of breasts gracing the bathroom so that Steve and I aren’t totally boobless!! You can also see the color that we painted the room – turquoise. It is a very Miami, tropical sort of turquoise so I have decided to add some tropical fiber art. The fish are going to go over the window which is behind the jacuzzi tub. And a flamingo is going on another wall.

Day 17 of Twenty Days of Virtue I am almost at the finish line. My biggest problem is drinking enough water most days. I think I am going to stick to the virtuous life on Monday thru Friday and slack off on the week-end. I’m feeling so much better and not feeling like I have to stuff myself in my jeans. I made the best salad tonight. It is fresh corn cut from the cob after steaming for a couple of minutes (four ears), two mangoes diced, 1 pound of jicama, peeled and diced, 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Served chilled.

Today, Stevie and I skipped church and headed to San Francisco to spend father’s day. Our first stop was at the Legion of Honor art museum to see Artwear, Fashion and Anti-fashion.

It was a wonderful exhibit with names I recognized from art quilting and Surface Design: Yvonne Porcella, Judith Content, Jean Williams Cacicedo and one of my favorites artists – Ana Lisa Hedstrom. It was so wonderful and exciting to see this fiber/textile art in a fine art museum. I was laughing to myself that 5 years ago I didn’t know what shibori was and every other art work used shibori, I think. If you are in the Bay Area, I recommend this show. It runs through October 30th.

We had lunch at the museum cafe, sitting outside in the sunshine. Then we went downtown and window shopped, checked in on a “bad art” show on Union Square and did some actual shopping. If I get my husband into Nordstrom’s men’s department, he can always find something to buy – he bought a gorgeous Tommy Bahama shirt. Then we began to sag so we went to a cafe for cappacino and espresso. Steve picked out a decadent bar cookie. I succumbed to a pear tart (it is fruit, right?). Unfortunately, the pear was surrounded by more carbs that I have had in the last 12 days.

We ended the day at Lisa’s house where I saw mod birds in progress as well as lots of work for her solo show in September. Her home is so wonderful. She picks up great buys on midcentury modern furniture that is so cool. She does incredible photography which is displayed in every room. It is a feast for the eyes. I told her that I want to borrow her place for a week and just read her books, play in her studio and enjoy the ambiance.

Mark, our son, met us there and we walked to the Luna Park restaurant for a fabulous meal. I was more virtuous than should be expected in such a fabulous place. I had 3 bites of Steve’s dessert and a few roasted fingerling potatoes with my dinner. Still NO adult beverages which Steve did have so I drove home. It was a lovely day!!

Here are two postcards that I finished this weekend. One is from vintage Japanese textiles and the other is from Mrs. Mel’s scraps. I love them both!!

I had the best time this afternoon. The contemporary music director of our church has two daughters, ages 8 and 13. She called me last week and said that Myra, the eight year old, wanted to make a quilt to enter in the fair and what should she do. I said bring her to my house and we will get started and to bring Inanna because I was sure I could find something for her to do also. They arrived this afternoon and, happily, Mom decided to leave and go get a cup of coffee.

I gave Myra 3 options of simple quilts that she could make. She chose to do a 4 patch alternating with a solid block. I then let her have at my fabric stash. I was expecting her to select pinks and purples and lime green! Instead, she chose a very sophisticated color scheme of warm browns and creams with some orange thrown in. I cut 2 1/2 inch strips and showed her how to strip piece. I set the Bernina at a low speed. Myra was a pro. She churned out the strips. Here she is:

Then we cut the strips into 4 1/2 inch pieces which she then strip pieced into the 4 patch blocks:

Here she is hard at work on the design wall:

Here is Myra looking very pleased with her design:

We selected a nice border fabric and she and her mom are going shopping for a dark brown inner border and binding.

Inanna loved my fused abstract quilts so I had her select a palette of fabrics which we fused. I thought it was best for a thirteen year old to take her stash home and work on her own. Her she is with her fused fabric choices.

Notice Maggie’s wagging tail. She is always in the middle of whatever is going on up here in the studio. Anyway, I had a great afternoon.

Day 12 of Twenty Days of Virtue Hanging in there! Got in 45 minutes of aerobics this morning and am really not missing adult beverages or sweets. I gave the girls cookies and lemonade and I drank water! I’m feeling smaller. The pants are buttoning more easily so I think this is working!